Got a picky eater? While there’s no miracle diet for fussy eaters, these parents & influencers have some genius methods to win over fussy eaters
“My health visitor said to look at weekly rather than daily food intake and I found that really useful. My daughter will demolish eggs, toast, cereal and fruit for breakfast, but then her eating tapers off later in the day. I’ve learnt to relax about it as long as she’s eaten a big breakfast.”
- Katy Rose, mum to Elyza, 2
“If you make mealtimes fun, little ones can get their five-a-day without even realising it. When my two were younger, I used to get them to make their own pizza toppings, using peppers and sweetcorn to make smiley faces. They loved it and always ate up all their veggies.”
- Emma Garratt, mum to Chloe, 15, and James, 13. @theminimesandme
"Get your kids involved in preparing meals. They’ll be much more likely to taste it if they’ve helped make it. Also, hide veggies in pasta sauces and add things like spinach and avocado to smoothies. A great way to get the good stuff down them!”
- Olivia Wayne, mum to Ozzie, 2
“Ditch the stuffy dinnertime setting and make it fun! We turn eating into play – making sandwiches for our teddy bears’ picnic or making rainbow-colored spaghetti. I’ve managed to introduce so many new foods this way.”
- Lyndsay Gardner, mum to Violet, 2 and Pearl, 1. @fizzypeaches
“My biggest tip is to avoid giving your child added sugar before the age of three, otherwise it can make them fussier with non-sweet foods. You need to read the ingredients labels on everything – so many foods aimed at children have added sugar! When my son was younger, I’d select non-sugary foods for him at kids’ parties and he didn’t mind at all. But now he’s six he makes his own choices – and I'm pleased to say they’re usually healthy ones!”
- Louise Mercieca , mum to Owen, 6. @eytvfoodchannel
“Always put something on their plate you know they WILL eat, and then ask them to try the other foods you put alongside. That way you know they won’t go hungry and usually when they try the other foods, they’ll realize that they do like them after all!”
- Emma Small, mum to Charlie, 4
“Our son eats most things, but there are still some textures that he just won’t. But that’s OK, because there are some things adults don’t like, so why not respect your child’s wishes? We also include Thomas in the food shopping and the cooking to help him appreciate food.”
- Kate Everall, mum to Thomas, 4. @lesbemums
“When it comes to fussy eating, it’s often not the children who give up, it’s the parents. Kids don’t start out with a concept of what they do or don’t like to eat. Give them a healthy balanced diet, keep it colorful and attractive, and I’ve found they’ll eat almost anything.”
- Paul Davis, dad to William, 10, Monty 8, and Henry 7
“My younger son got to a point where he was so fussy, he’d only eat three foods – cheese sandwiches, spaghetti Bolognese or salmon. It was a nightmare! My advice is to go with it to a certain extent because otherwise it can prove too frustrating. But be persistent about always offering them ‘new’ foods – they will eventually grow out of it!”
- Lyndsay Sadler, mum to Jamie, 12, Daniel, 10, Alexa, 8, and Thea, 8 months
“I used to give foods silly names to grab my boys’ imagination and encourage them to eat. In our house it was all about Monster Mash and Snake Spaghetti. It worked a treat!”
- Lucy Banwell, mum to George, 12, and Joe, 10